So, as we make our way towards the start of the new school year, the new logo is making it's debut on various sports teams helmets and other gear. Today, a tweet was posted on Twitter by the University of North Dakota Women's hockey team. Looks what's on the helmet. The new Fighting Hawks logo will be flying with the women this season. The question some want to know. Will the Men's team helmets sport the new logo?

Saturday, July 16, 2016

I saw this letter from the editor by Mark Mondry and I couldn't let it slip by without some comment. First, this is a silly idea. I mean seriously, the University isn't going to spend millions of dollars replacing Fighting Sioux jersey's, t-shirts and gear. The university is in a budget crisis. Second, there are a lot of people that wouldn't agree to this. I know I am not turning over my Fighting Sioux jerseys. .

While I
understand that the NCAA backed UND into a corner, the reality is the fan base
has been left with merchandise that is now obsolete.At the very
least, the university should replace existing Fighting Sioux gear with new
Fighting Hawks gear, enabling the transition.

I honestly can't believe that a graduate from UND would come up with this.

Friday, July 08, 2016

Some people are getting irate about the Herald's constant coverage of the ongoing non-controversy. Not me. Each story is a reminder of a hard-fought victory over a deeply embedded racist tradition. I will never get tired of hearing or reading about it. Sort of like my Lakota relatives who every year celebrate their victory over Custer at Greasy Grass, 150 years ago.

In closing, what this really comes down to is this: a few hardcore and racist Fighting Sioux nickname fans just can't stand to let American Indians "win one."

In their eyes, we committed an unpardonable sin by not only standing up to their racism but also winning. And they can't let that go, any more then can they let their racism go.

When I first came to Grand Forks in the fall of 1993, the controversy surrounding the Fighting Sioux nickname was coming to a head. I heard many of the same points that have been brought up in Longie's victory lap. Each has his own opinion. It's a bit over the top to call the #foreversioux and #siouxforever camps racist. So, are the Sioux were Silenced people racists, too? Many of those folks are Dakota.

Monday, June 27, 2016

A person named Sarah Wallace has started a petition to change the new Fighting Hawks logo. This story has been picked up by the Grand Forks Herald, Valley News Live and WDAZ. While this makes an interesting story, it will have little affect on the UND administration. They're not going to dump a new logo they just spent $49,500.00 on. The political bloggers would have a field day with this one.
Here's the link to the petition.

It was an extremely sad day for many proud University of North Dakota alumni, students, fans and friends when the NCAA and the administration put their heads together and decided the way we loved, adored and respected our beloved Sioux nickname/logo could no longer belong to us. Completely disregarding the night of July 18, 1969 when a full night of events took place in which the Sioux elders gave the University the right to use their name. However, this petition IS NOT ABOUT RETURNING TO THE SIOUX NAME.

This petition is about the complete mishandling of creating a new logo the alumni, student body, fans, Sioux and friends can rally behind. The administration did all of us an injustice by hiring an out of state firm who does not understand who and what North Dakota is about. It is time to reclaim OUR UNIVERSITY and say we have had enough!! It is time to demand they listen to us. If they want us to rally around name that we did not want then give us a logo we can be proud of. Allow a local artist to create the logo. An even better idea would be to have the original creator of the beloved Sioux logo Bennett Brien to create the new logo.

This would be the only way the university administration can redeem themselves. We were foolish to think that Ed Schafer would come in and understand what we needed and this from a UND graduate. Please take the time to sign and share this petition. It is not to late to have a new logo designed by someone we can all stand behind and support. If we must have this name then give us a logo we will have pride, honor and support!

Currently, there are 3,575 supporters, if my math is correct that an increase of 575 signatures since yesterday.

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Last Wednesday, the University of North Dakota unveiled their new Fighting Hawks logo and then social media blew up. My initial thoughts, when I saw the new logo was you've got to be kidding me? This is a joke, right? Like many UND fans, I was in a state of shock. I couldn't believe this is what they'd come up with. I didn't know what to think.After the nickname announcement then came the tweets and Facebook posts. What's was more interesting was reading tweets from fans of other programs. Some of them were giddy. Some of them laughed. A lot of these same fans said they liked UND's new logo and couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. Upon seeing the new logo, my own father said, "It's not bad." I said, "Seriously?" This is coming from a guy that spent a year at the University of Iowa. Go Hawkeyes, right?

Although I expected the logo to be a bit lame, this wasn't what I expected. Not in the least. It was underwhelming. After almost $50,000.00 this is what the UND administration came up with. As a tax payer and alumni of UND, I was disappointed.

After some thought and reflection, I'm moving on. Like I said before, it could've been worse. The word mark is actually pretty good and I expect to see it on a UND hockey jersey in the future. The new logo isn’t great, but I accept it. I may not like it all that much, but I can live with it.The logo will probably grow on me with time.

Also, it doesn't do any good to stew about something that I have no ability to change. Yes, I like the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo, but it's not coming back, ever again. It's not possible in today's politically correct world. What's done is done.

I have a prediction: No matter how much the fans and players complain about the new logo, there isn't going to be any change to the new nickname or logo. Sure, there will be some tweaks to the current logo, but the university isn't going to reopen the nickname selection process. People or groups can sue UND, but it’s not going to change anything.

I've taken some heat from some UND fans for using the new Fighting Hawks nickname. One fan posted this comment, it's North Dakota, UND and or Fighting Sioux. When I am writing for the Hockey Writers or Inside Hockey I can't use the Fighting Sioux nickname anymore. UND requested that media members (television and radio, bloggers and journalists) no longer use the Fighting Sioux nickname. It's also really hard to write UND, UND, UND all of the time. Sorry man.

In my humble opinion, there were hundreds of other nicknames choices that would've been much better than the five bad choices the nickname committee came up with.I believe we were doomed from the start. Now the nickname debacle is finally over, I'm moving on. Whether you like it or not, Fighting Hawks is UND's official nickname. This past spring, UND actually won a NCAA title under their new nickname.

Again, like I've said in the past, Fighting Hawks was the best choice of five really bad nickname choices. At least the new nickname wasn't Sundogs. I'd like to see the university drop Fighting and just go with Hawks.

Now, some had suggested that UND didn't need to select a new nickname. They're right, but somewhere along the line, there would've been a group or organization that would've filed a complaint against UND. Others complained that being simply North Dakota was a pseudo way of keeping the Fighting Sioux nickname. According to former UND President Robert O. Kelley, UND needed a nickname to move on. I don't know? Picking a nickname didn't stop fans from yelling Sioux and Sioux forever. Right? So, that theory was shot down.

As I mentioned in a tweet, if UND had retained the Fighting Sioux nickname, UND wouldn't be hosting a NCAA West Regional in Fargo, ND again. Hosting in Fargo gives UND a major advantage. It could mean the difference between advancing to the Frozen Four and staying home.

Finally, I am a supporter and an alumnus of the University of North Dakota. I think that UND football head coach Bubba Schweigert said it best.

“UND football is going to embrace this logo and what it represents,” said Schweigert, adding the logo will be on the helmet for the team’s first game Sept. 1.

In conclusion, I will support the UND sports teams no matter what name they play under. It's up to each individual fan if they want to do the same.

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Today, the University of North Dakota introduced the new Fighting Hawks logo. Here are some of the responses the new nickname received.

I would say that the new logo received mixed reviews. It appears that fans of opposing teams were more receptive to the nickname than actual UND fans.Some of the responses from the current and former players are interesting. A few of the coaches had great responses to the new logo.

Regardless of what the new logo was I was going to have a hard time liking it but this is just brutal, looks like a Microsoft word clip art

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Last week, some unknown writer for the Spectrum took to the blogosphere to chastise UND fans for chanting “Sioux Forever” and “Let’s Go Sioux.” In his defense, Vastlane (yeah, I never heard of it either) decided to enjoy Mr. Lipp’s 15 minutes of fame. Now as these two individuals take a victory lap I thought I would chime in. Nice to see this person hit all of the talking points.

It is my opinion that the disjointed nickname and logo process is a huge culprit to blame for the continued rallying behind Fighting Sioux moniker. The public voting process disenfranchised huge sections of the populous participating because they felt like their views and wishes were ignored. The responses of the members of the public after the votes were held?

“I think the nickname they chose is stupid because it isn’t the one I chose; I’m still a Sioux.”

UND students, alumni, and supporters rallied behind the only thing they knew up until that point, the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo. If a new nickname and logo had been introduced within the first calendar year of the announced transition I doubt we would even be having this conversation today. The ironic part about all of this is the fact UND students, alumni, and supporters feel as if they have been stripped of their identities; when in reality they were hiding behind a banner of institutional racism that has taken the identities of centuries of First Nations people.
(Life in the Vastlane)

No matter how you feel about the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo, this discussion would still be taking place today, even if the University of North Dakota had transitioned to a new nickname and logo in 2012. Next!

I have said this since day one. UND sports fans, especially hockey fans aren’t going to immediately transition to the new nickname Fighting Hawks. On the flip side of that. If NDSU’s moniker the Bison was found to be offensive, would hardcore Bison fans immediately accept a new nickname, no, they wouldn’t.

Here are some of the reasons for this. First, there’s isn’t an actual logo for anyone to get behind. Second, you don’t just change 80+ years of history overnight. Transitions like this could take a generation or two, maybe longer. Third, not everyone likes or embraces UND's new, official nickname the Fighting Hawks. In their minds, the Fighting Sioux won the 8th NCAA title. Not the Fighting Hawks. The UND administration doesn't want to alienate a powerful group of people. (If you're wondering, that's like 85 percent of the Ralph on game day.) Telling people to get over it, isn't going to work either.

My question is, what's the hurry? Like I mentioned above, there's no logo associated with the new nickname. If the administration blows the design of the new logo, this could fester for a long time.

Some of UND's programs have embraced the new Fighting Hawks nickname. While other's haven't. I think that was expected as well. Recently, I was scanning some of the tweets from incoming football players. Some of the tweets have said, glad to announce my commitment to the Fighting Hawks. The UND hockey team, not so much..

When Gage Ausmus announce that he was coming back, he said this, "Already looking forward to my senior season @UNDmhockey #Hang9 #RollTribe,"

UND recruit Tyson Jost recently said this in an interview this past week, “I think in the back of my mind I always wanted to be a Fighting Sioux one day. I am here now, so, I am part of the group, can’t wait to get started. I am humbled and proud to be a part of it.”

UND's most noticeable programs still embraces the Fighting Sioux nickname. The national media, including ESPN, still refers to them as the Fighting Sioux. What can you do?

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Former North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer is now the University of North Dakota's interim president. Schafer will be the interim president for about six months. Of course, with a different person at the top, some have questioned whether Schafer would allow another nickname vote.

There will not be another nickname vote. Not going to happen. I think this is the right move. UND spent a bunch of money to get us this nickname.

"That issue has been settled," he said. "The process went through, and in my opinion, whether you like the name or not, whether you supported the Fighting Sioux or not, the reality is we're beyond that. It hindered the university for many years, and the reality is we have a stake in the ground, we have a new nickname, we're moving forward, we have a chosen nickname and we're going to make value to that name."

UND is now moving forward with the selection of a new logo and moniker. I think this is key. If UND fans are to accept the new nickname, there needs to be a logo that fans can get behind and support. I keep hearing what UND can't have. Blow the selection and design of the logo and you will do a lot of damage.

Of course, there's going to be fans that don't like the new nickname. There were so many other better options not considered for the nickname.

I don't think many of us wanted to lose the Fighting Sioux nickname, but it's gone and it's not coming back. Booing the new nickname is counter productive in my humble opinion.

If UND had remained the Fighting Sioux, there would have been no chance UND would have ever hosted a regional. UND will again host a regional next spring in the Scheels Arena.

Is Fighting Hawks the best nickname? Nope. There are like 40 other schools that are some version of Hawks in their nickname. That being said, I think that Fighting Hawks was the best of the five horrible choices.

Don't worry, the Fighting Hawks nickname isn't going anywhere anytime soon. That being said, the nickname isn't catching on as fast as some would like. The University of North Dakota is phasing in the new nickname. This past weekend, P.A. address Darrin Looker didn't say Fighting Hawks at full strength at the end of a penalty kill. This weekend, it was phased in somewhere else.

Looker: “I don't think it's very effective if you kill that penalty and it's met immediately with 11,000+ people booing.”

So for now, it's been removed from parts of the game, But the university still has the name scripted into pregame ceremonies and in other places during the production. So it's almost certain that fans should get used to their new name.

Looker: “Eventually you know the fans are so supportive and so great that they'll come around to it. At the end of the day it's North Dakota, it's the UND culture and that's the number one thing." (WDAZ)